The present invention relates generally to the construction of a shoe and the manufacture thereof and, more particularly, to the construction of a shoe having an outsole and/or components thereof comprised of recycled materials, such as leather or jute, generated during the shoe manufacturing process.
The shoe industry is faced with many issues. One of these issues is cost control while maintaining product quality. One cost issue is directed to the disposal of scrap materials from the shoe making process, particularly leather scrap. Another issue is the manufacture of quality shoe outsoles while controlling the cost thereof. As the price of hydrocarbons increases, materials made from crude oil increases, including the cost of producing many types of elastomers used in outsoles.
During the manufacture of shoes, various materials such as synthetic and natural rubber, thermoplastics and thermosetting or cured plastics and leather materials are cut into a desired shape to fit a particular pattern or design. As a result of the cutting process, portions of these materials are discarded as scrap. Currently, the trimmings are a stream of scrap material that must be disposed of. Today, the scrap leather is disposed of in landfills since there is no current use for it, particularly the grindings. The disposal of waste in landfills can be expensive.
In the manufacture of shoes, it is also common to use leather to form parts of the shoes including both uppers and outsoles. In the processing of the leather, relatively large quantities of leather dust are produced. Leather is a fibrous collagen material and is both durable, aesthetically pleasing and wear resistant. However, during the cutting and trimming process of leather, leather dust is produced. The leather dust is a waste material that then needs to be disposed of, which usually results in a further cost to the manufacturer.
The outsole of a shoe can be formed in a wide variety of different constructions. For example, the outsole can be formed as a substantially one-piece unit, or it can be formed as a base sole layer having one or more additional layers associated therewith to provide an outer ground engaging surface for the shoe. Still further, various portions of the outsole can be comprised of inserts associated with the forefoot and heel regions of a particular shoe.
It would be desirable to utilize the scrap materials generated during the shoe manufacturing process as fillers for addition to the elastomeric material used in outsoles to control cost while maintaining the functionality and appearance of the outsole.
It would also be desirable to provide a shoe outsole and method of making the shoe outsole that reduces the cost of the outsole by utilizing scrap material generated during the shoe making process, or other inexpensive material, as a filler without adversely affecting the quality or appearance of the outsole and, in fact, enhancing the quality and appearance.
It would also be desirable to utilize the leather dust generated during the shoe manufacturing process as a manufacturing material rather than dispose of it as a waste material. As the price of raw materials increases, the ability to use a material that is currently a waste material in place of costly raw materials would be desirable.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a shoe outsole and method of making the outsole, including making various portions thereof including inserts and other additional layers associated with a particular outsole, from the scrap materials generated during the shoe making process including scrap leather, leather dust, jute, and other inexpensive filler materials, which would reduce the overall costs of manufacturing the outsole or various components thereof without adversely affecting the quality or appearance of the outsole.